Let’s get started with the 5 Minute Practice Routine! This is a quick technique workout to get the most out of a short time frame.
This routine is perfect if we’ve got a busy lifestyle or don’t have much time during the day. Our goal with the 5 minutes is to focus on a specific technique or section of a song that we know needs work.
Sometimes we sit down and start jamming on a few songs and before we know it our practice time is up!
To make the most out of our time, the intense focus will be well worth it! And definitely choose a technique that you’re looking to improve on. If you’re in the middle of learning a song, pick 1 new section to learn (Verse, or Chorus). And this could be just the chords or maybe the chords and the strum pattern.
Here are a few examples of techniques we could focus on for 5 minutes:
Rhythm Techniques:
Open Chord Transitions
Specific Chord Transitions: G to A, G to E, etc etc.
Moving Power Chord Shapes
Practicing the names of each Barre Chord
Practicing a tough chord transition: Bm to A
Learning the strum pattern to the Chorus of a song
Lead Techniques:
Half and Whole Step Bends
Hammer-ons and Pull-offs
Memorizing 2 Lines of a Solo
Keeping Steady Tremolo Picking with a Metronome
Pinch Harmonics
I know these all seem like small pieces of the puzzle. But imagine memorizing 2 lines of that one solo each time we sat down to practice. We’d have that solo completely under our fingers by the end, instead of trying to learn it all in one sitting. And the best part, those 5 minutes are going to fly by! Guitar practice….check! Onto the next thing on the To-Do list!
There is so much power in 5 minutes because we are building a strong foundation for future practice and keeping the habit going! This will snowball into longer practice in the coming weeks and months! Stick with it! Once again, you can always fall back on 5 minutes of practice if you have a busy day ahead.
If you’re interested, the next lesson focuses on the 15-minute practice routine.
-Sydney
“Drop by drop is the water pot filled.”
Instructor: Sydney Ellen
Sydney is a guitarist, songwriter, and performer from Southern California. Graduating summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music and with over 20 years of experience in music, Sydney is passionate about helping fellow guitar players reach their goals and enjoy learning music. Sydney loves writing music and listening to Classic Rock/Metal hits.
